The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has brought two court applications against the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), citing a lack of regulation to ensure the safe return to work of workers in the mining and energy sectors.
AMCU says that while it is supportive of a return to work and ramping up production, it will not support this if the safety of its members is not guaranteed by national minimum standard.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) North East Region has noted that it is opposed to a call by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe to allow mines in South Africa to operate at 50% during the extended lockdown.
The NUM says its leadership had visited different mines recently and was concerned that the mines were not adhering to the new regulations.
“Our reasoning behind this is informed by the issue of compliance, which is highly compromised by the mines. And we further call upon the regulator, the DMRE, to stop with immediate effect all operations until all measures are adhered to.
"We are further opposed to the blanket approach to screening, testing, transportation and the use of personal protective equipment,” says NUM North East Region secretary Phillip Mankge.
He further says the union is calling on the DMRE to develop a joint programme to visit all the listed mines to monitor adherence to guidelines and measures put in place to combat the transmission of the pandemic.